The present invention pertains to a monitoring apparatus; more particularly, the present invention pertains to an apparatus and method for monitoring the skin temperatures of animals at different predetermined locations together with other vital information indicative of the health of a human being.
Many conditions which have a negative impact on the health of animals, to include human beings, are preceded by small changes in skin temperature, together with slight changes in weight or blood pressure. For example, a significant weight gain may be indicative of fluid retention. And fluid retention, when accompanied by an increase in blood pressure, may be predictive of the onset of congestive heart failure.
Afflictions, particularly ulcerations, can be predicted by a change in skin temperatures. Specifically, the skin temperature on the bottom of the feet can be predictive of foot problems such as ulcerations. In the United States alone, it is estimated that up to 16,000,000 people suffer from diabetes; and approximately 60-70% of these diabetics will eventually develop foot-related medical problems sometime during their lifetime. Of all diabetes-related hospitalizations, 20% of these hospitalizations are for foot-related medical problems. The number of hospitalizations for foot-related medical problems, such as sores that will not heal, can be reduced if medical personnel are forewarned of significant changes in the skin temperatures on the bottom of the feet. For example, it is well known that skin temperatures on the bottom of a person""s feet will increase before a visible ulceration appears.
Afflictions that cause tissue inflammation and injury, such as tendon injuries and fractures, ulcers in persons with neuropathy or who are bedridden, can be predicted or identified by subtle changes in skin temperatures. For instance, in diabetics with neuropathy elevated skin temperatures on the sole of the foot can help medical personnel identify areas prone to ulceration or fracture. For patients who are bedridden, elevated skin temperatures can help identify specific areas on the heels, buttocks or sacrum that are injured, inflamed and are at the early stages of developing a decubitus ulceration or pressure sore. The capability of identifying locations prone to ulcerations is particularly helpful for persons with diminished cognitive function or who are so debilitated that they do not have verbal skills to provide information to their care-givers. Such patients may include those with spinal cord injury or stroke victims.
Foot problems are particularly problematic for diabetics because diabetics often lose sensation in their feet. This loss of sensation often leads to a foot fracture (Charcot) or a skin ulceration caused by friction and pressure. In extreme cases the ulceration, if not caused to heal properly, may eventually lead to an amputation of a diabetic""s foot. The foot problems typically associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy include numbness or insensitivity to pain or temperature, tingling, burning, or prickling, sharp pains or cramps, extreme sensitivity to touch, and loss of balance and coordination. Such pain and suffering significantly diminishes the quality of life of a diabetic. In addition, foot-related medical problems substantially increase the diabetic""s health care cost.
There is therefore a need in the art for a device and system which facilitates the monitoring of skin temperatures. For diabetics particularly, there is a need in the art for a device and system which will monitor skin temperatures on the bottom of a patient""s feet and provides an early warning of any significant temperature differences in skin temperatures between common areas of the two feet or between neighboring sites. Such foot skin temperature monitoring may provide an early indication of conditions which can lead to ulceration, infection, wound healing problems, fracture, and even amputation.
In yet another important area for diabetics, changes in blood pressure at various locations on the human body may be indicative of reduced blood flow. Such reduced blood flow may lead to significant reduction in the health of the affected body part. Another important area of observation for diabetics would be changes in blood chemistry which may be indicative of nascent problems which are not yet symptomatic. Coupling this information together with foot skin temperatures would create an extremely powerful tool for diagnosticians.
The ability to monitor skin temperatures at predetermined areas can also be expanded to use in animals such as race horses. By serial temperature monitoring, areas prone to injury can be identified and treated before a career-ending or catastrophic injury. This methodology can also be used to evaluate and monitor the effectiveness of treatment in those animals since they are obviously unable to communicate to their veterinarian about the severity or location of the pain.
Thus, there is a significant need to develop a device to facilitate the monitoring of skin temperature at predetermined areas together with other vital health information such as weight, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels. Such monitoring of other vital information, when coupled with skin temperature readings, may provide an early indication of pending serious health problems which, if treated early, can be substantially diminished or even avoided.
The present invention facilitates the monitoring of skin temperatures at predetermined locations on a human""s or animal""s body to include the skin temperature on the bottom, side, or top of a person""s foot. In an alternate embodiment, the disclosed invention couples skin temperature readings together with other important health indicators such as body weight and blood pressure. This monitoring of vital health information is accomplished by an apparatus which is built around a system for monitoring the skin temperature at different predetermined locations. For diabetics, these predetermined locations may be on the plantar, dorsal, medial, or lateral aspects of the contra-lateral feet.
In the disclosed preferred embodiment of the invention, a platform includes a moving array of light sensors and infrared temperature sensors positioned under a grid on which the patient stands. The light sensor portion of the moving array determines the position of the patient""s feet on the grid. The infrared temperature sensors of the moving array determines foot skin temperatures as it travels under the grid. Holes in the grid allow each infrared temperature sensor to make numerous temperature measurements of the skin on the bottom of each foot. Once the foot skin temperatures have been taken through each hole in the grid covered by the patient""s foot, the temperature measurements at each location can be transmitted to and stored in a computer memory. The computer memory may be located at the device itself, or the foot skin temperature data may be transmitted to a computer memory at a remote location using a built-in modem and a telephone connection or via wireless means.
If there is a significant difference between the skin temperatures on the bottom of the left foot and the bottom of the right foot, or a difference between adjacent points, an alarm signal can be provided to the user. The sensed skin temperatures can also be displayed to the user as a temperature reading, stored for future use, or sent to a central monitoring facility.
In another embodiment, force or pressure sensors co-located with the grid on which the patient stands may also be used to locate positions on the foot that will be measured with the temperature sensors. The patient""s weight is measured by means of traditional force sensors located at each leg of the device. In still other embodiments, a blood pressure cuff and pulse monitor may be used. The blood pressure cuff may be placed at heart level on the user""s arm or an additional pulse monitor cuff may be placed around the user""s ankle or the user""s toe. A further embodiment could monitor and transmit blood glucose levels.
Once vital health information has been sensed, that information may be compared to previously sensed vital health information. For example, a comparison of a patient""s weight and blood pressure to prior readings may reveal a condition predictive of congestive heart failure.
All of the sensed vital health information may be displayed to the user and/or transmitted by telephone or other commonly used wireless communication systems to a central facility where medical professionals can determine if the sensed conditions are predictive of imminent medical problems. If desired, the apparatus itself may produce alarms of particularly dangerous conditions. For example, if the difference in the skin temperatures sensed on the bottom of the left foot and the bottom of the right foot or if the patient""s blood pressure is above a certain level, an audible signal or a visual message can be generated, indicating an urgent need to consult with a medical professional.
In another embodiment, a blanket containing temperature sensors may be placed under a body part, particularly a body part which is most likely to develop a decubitus ulcer due to immobility. The apparatus may also be designed in the form of a wrap containing temperature sensors, which can be positioned around an extremity of a human being or animal in order to monitor the skin surface temperature of the body part contained therein.